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Wood Pellets:

What Are Pellets?

Pellet fuel is a renewable, clean-burning and cost stable home heating alternative currently used throughout North America. It is a biomass product made of renewable substances – generally recycled wood waste. There are approximately 1,000,000 homes in the U.S. using wood pellets for heat, in freestanding stoves, fireplace inserts, furnaces and boilers. Pellet fuel for heating can also be found in such large-scale environments as schools and prisons. North American pellets are produced in manufacturing facilities in Canada and the United States, and are available for purchase at fireplace dealers, nurseries, building supply stores, feed and garden supply stores and some discount merchandisers.

In short, pellet fuel is a way to divert millions of tons of waste from landfills and turn it into energy.

What is biomass fuel?

Cordwood, wood pellets, wood chips, waste paper, along with dozens of other agricultural products and by-products capable of being used for energy, are all examples of biomass fuel. The most compelling principle of biomass is that it is renewable. The remarkable consistency and burn efficiency of pellet fuel produces a fraction of the particulate emissions of raw biomass. Pellet burners feature the lowest particulate matter emissions of all solid fuels burners. Given the proper Sustainable Forest Initiatives and agricultural management, biomass is virtually limitless, and has proven to be price stable in comparison with fossil fuels.

The majority of North America’s forest is second-growth, and requires periodic treatment in order to address forest health and fire mitigation. A tremendous amount of unusable material remains on the forest floor after such treatment. This material is rejected by high-end wood product manufacturers but is a perfect resource for commercial pellet manufacturers.

By engineering crops and waste such as cornstalks, straw, and residual forest waste, pellets can utilize millions of tons of waste and put them to work.

Many pellet manufacturers take by-products (like wood waste) and refine them into pencil-sized pellets that are uniform in size, shape, moisture, density and energy content. Why not simply burn raw biomass? First, the moisture content of pellets is substantially lower (4% to 8% water–compared to 20% to 60% for raw biomass). Less moisture means higher BTU value and easier handling especially in freezing situations with green raw biomass materials. Second, the density of pellet fuel is substantially higher than raw biomass (40 lbs. per cubic foot verses 10-25 lbs. per cubic foot in raw material form). More fuel can be transported in a given truck space, and more energy can be stored at your site. Third, pellets are more easily and predictably handled. Their uniform shape and size allows for a smaller and simpler feed system that reduces costs. This high density and uniform shape can be stored in standard silos, transported in rail cars and delivered in truck containers.

Raw Materials

In Canada, wood pellets are made from material that would otherwise be wasted. This includes sawmill residues -- sawdust, planer shavings, and sometimes even a little bark -- and diseased and insect-killed trees and logging waste that sawmills have left behind in the forest after logging.

There are numerous benefits achieved by utilizing pellet fuel, including economical and environmental. Pellet fuel is utilized in a varied settings and applications, such as home heating appliances and large scale boilers in commercial operations.

There are an estimated 1,000,000 residences/businesses in the U.S. currently heating with pellets.

A typical homeowner uses 3 tons of pellets per heating season at a cost of about $825. At an average retail price of $250/ton, pellets offer a fuel cost per million BTU of $19.05. To offer a fuel cost of $19.05 per million BTU, # 2 fuel oil and propane would have to be priced at $2.05/gal and $1.36/gal, respectively!

(Fuel Value Calculator, USFS, 2008)

One ton of wood pellets has the energy equivalency of 2.8 barrels of #2 fuel oil. (Energy Information Administration)

Direct thermal conversion of 3 million tons of wood pellets displaces the equivalent of almost 8.5 million barrels of #2 fuel oil. That is 356 million gallons! (Energy Information Administration)

Direct thermal conversion of pellets has an efficiency level of approximately 80%.

Pellet stoves have extremely low particulate emissions due to their high burn efficiency and the density of the fuel (<1 gm/hr). (Environmental Protection Agency)

Every ton of pellets used vs. oil reduces CO2 emissions by about 1.5 tons. Total emissions offset this year will be nearly 4.5 million tons of CO2.

Pellet distribution costs less than the cost of distributing wood chips.

As of 2009, pellet manufacturing directly employs approximately 2,300 people in the U.S. and supports thousands of industry-related jobs in fields such as transportation and logging. (North America’s Wood Pellet Sector, Spelter & Toth, 2009)

They Do Exist

Unlike Big Foot who is still being sought, the Wiseway Non-Electric Pellet Stove does exist. Wiseway's patented Gravity Feed Non- Electric Pellet Stove has been

located and now is keeping homes warm and toasty were ever they are installed independent of

the need for electricity. The Wiseway stove is fast becoming the pellet stove of choice by successfully

accomplishing what many expected from other pellet stoves and were soon disappointed when they failed

to work in a power outage, were prone to many mechanical break downs and other operating issues, not to mention many other pellet stoves are noisy.

Wiseway pellet stoves are the quietest stove on the market no blower no auger. For those wanting a blower one can be added, or by utilizing the echo fan that also operates with

no need for electricity, its a great option to move air quietly. Wiseway Pellet Stove has two models available the GW1949 which use's 4" pellet vent and the GW2014 which use's Class A 6" Chimney . Both models retail at $1999.00 for either model with the Glass Door. Delivered anywhere in the Continental U.S. to a business address or closest truck dock, order yours here call for shipping quote and details ph. 541-476-2174. There is also a Stainless Steel Water Jacket capable of heating a 100 gallon water tank up to 160 degrees that can be added to supplement your hot water needs. Only an additional $375.00 and last there is a wheel kit only $40.00 for those that want the ability to move it around in shops or patios or to take hunting. Order yours today and start heating your what ever your need may be. The WiseWay